Seeley
by Daisy60
Summary: Way back in time... just read and find out what B&B are up to.
1. Chapter 1

**So, here's letter S. This one is a little longer than the previous ones but I wanted to post it as a one shot anyway. I hope you like it. Feedback is important and it only takes a few minutes to review and make a writer happy. Thanks for reading.**

**A/N: I do not own any of these characters, of course.**

**Seeley**

He just couldn't make out why he had decided to come to this dance and he blamed his brother for that. What were his actual words? "_Look Seeley, you're way too serious. Just go there, pick up one and have some fun." _

Jared was so reckless. Girls meant fun. That was it. And he loved to change them like he changed a pair of old socks.

Seeley had always been different. He had to _feel something_ even before asking a girl out and crappy sex really wasn't his cup of tea. Right now all he could focus on was to finish his Boot Camp and he simply had no time to engage in meaningless relationships.

He quickly scanned the expansive room to look at the "girls". Jeez most of them were so silly they couldn't stop laughing, others were obviously after something more than just a dance and didn't waist their time hiding their real intentions. Some were sitting by themselves regardless of what was going on around them as if they were a mere piece of the furniture.

Suddenly his eyes reached the far end of the room where two rampant teenagers were harassing a girl.

She didn't seem to enjoy their boldness and tried to protect herself by crossing her arms on her chest. So shy still so self-assured in the way she stood her ground against those guys. Nothing about her justified their approach: she was properly dressed compared to the indecent way most of the teenagers hung out, she had no make up on and she seemed not to give a damn about chasing boys. She really looked the odd girl out. Yet she was there.

He stepped closer to the trio ready to intervene if things got carried away.

"Come on – insisted one of the boys – you will have fun, and if the two of us is just too much you can always choose one."

"I'm afraid to disappoint you both but I am not interested in engaging in anything you are suggesting. So please just leave me alone."

"Oh oh, listen to that – mocked the other one – _Miss Perfection_ is not interested. So what the hell did you come here for in the first place?"

"I don't know what you mean" she retorted giving him a fierce stare.

"Oh you don't. I bet you are one of those chicks who like to take it anywhere just for the fun of it."

"Excuse me?" she snapped clenching her fists.

The guy invaded her personal space making her feel his arousal and she jumped backwards.

_Now_ – Seeley thought – _that is way too much! _

He grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled him up a few inches leaving him suspended from the ground gasping for air. He sure hadn't seen that coming.

"Haven't you heard what she told you, asshole?" he said turning him round and darting him an angry look.

"Why do you care? Is she your girlfriend? She really doesn't look your type" the teenager teased looking at the tall, well built, imposing young man who was still holding him.

"That's nothing of your damn business. Now just zip it and go back to your mummy before I kick you both out of here. And... make sure I don't see you hanging around her again!"

He lowered the boy and the bold duo disappeared through the exit.

Seeley turned and looked at the girl. "Are you okay?" he asked her gently.

"Yes, thank you for saving me."

"Welcome" he answered holding her gaze. Her eyes were like crystalline water and deep down they spoke of sadness and suffering. She was so different from the standard teenagers he had dealt with.

She was beautiful even in her own simplicity. He couldn't help but think that in ten year's time this naive young girl would turn into a stunning woman and he was mesmerized by the way she kept her eyes locked with his.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she inquired shyly.

"Sorry – he said blushing – you are just... beautiful."

"Oh.." she whispered feeling her cheeks suddenly on fire – "nobody as ever told me that apart from..." but it was too painful for her to finish that sentence. The family she once had was gone forever and she had to stand alone against the world.

"I have never seen you around here are you new in town?" he asked hoping not to scare her and make her run.

"Yes, I've just arrived in Philadelphia. My teachers told me to come and make friends, this dance being a good opportunity to socialize. But really? I don't care too much about this" she stated nodding at the people in the room." I enjoy reading and studying, I have my science, that is quite enough for now. And next year I'm going to Northwestern so wasting my time in mundane activities doesn't seem appropriate."

_Oh God she really is different._ Her words had the power to make him feel like an idiot and most of all to turn him on like a fifteen year old on his first date.

"So I guess you've never dated anyone?" he went on.

"Well, boys don't seem too interested in me and so far no one has ever asked me out."

"Would you like to come out with me one of these evenings?" he suggested. _What the hell did he just say? _The sentence had formed as naturally as that in his mind.

She looked surprised. How could possibly such a good looking young man, who was what? five or six older than her, obviously a very alpha specimen of the human kind, ask her to go on a date? She felt a strange stir in her lower belly, _what a weird reaction of her body to his words_, she acknowledged.

"I think I would like that very much" she found herself replying almost automatically never breaking eye-contact. "There's a prom next Thursday at my high school. I would like you to take me there if that suits you, of course."

"That would be a pleasure, really" he answered honestly. Two days... he thought... he would have to wait two more days to see her again and he was already mourning her loss as he realized she was going to leave the place soon. "Where shall I pick you up?"

"I live with the Jamesons', 265 Market Street."

"Will seven o'clock be fine?" he asked already longing for Thursday to come.

"Yes, that would be perfect. I have to go now. I still have quite a lot to do for my research on genetics." she said moving towards the door.

"Wait – he stopped her – I don't even know your name..."

"Oh, I'm sorry." - she apologized – I'm Temperance Brennan. And you are...?

"Seeley Booth".

**B&B**

He had tried not to think about her but the last two days had been hell to him. Everything reminded him of her... the sound of her voice, the light blue of her eyes, the beauty of her body not fully blossomed... and now that he was standing outside her door he took a deep breath and sighed in order to pull himself together.

"Oh" - she exclaimed - " you are beautiful!"

He smiled at her words. "Temperance, girls are beautiful, boys are handsome."

"Well, I have to disagree about that, you are indisputably beautiful and your clothes make you look even more attractive."

_Gosh how was he going to get to the end of the evening? _Everything she said simply turned him on, it was so embarrassing.

"You look adorable Temperance" he said nodding at her dress. And I like your hair loose like that. Here... you are supposed to wear this – he added giving her the box with her prom bracelet.

She opened it and her eyes went wide. "You really shouldn't have... I..."

He put his right hand on her lips "This is really nothing compared to you. Besides it's your prom."

"I see" she acknowledged putting the crystal piece of jewelry on her wrist.

"Let's go then" he suggested showing her to his car.

"So, what do you think about this?" He inquired curious to find out what her brain had been processing for the last half-hour.

"Well, I find all these rituals quite interesting though I'm not inclined in accepting the idea that a civilized society like ours still relishes in these antiquate traditions."

"Do you find dancing an antiquate tradition too? Because I would love to dance with you." he told her.

She didn't answer and taking his hand she led him to the dance floor. He circled her waist with his arm and pulled her near leaving some space between them. She placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him. She noticed how large his pupils had become just as a result of her proximity and she sensed that hers might have too. She breathed in his scent and felt once again the strange stirring in her belly she had experienced on their first encounter, but stronger now, almost magnetic as she closed the little space between them. The contact of their bodies made her shiver and her mind seemed to drift away. She was scared not to be able to control her senses yet she was irresistibly drawn into this new exciting situation.

Seeley tried hard to control himself as she clung her body to his but he was absolutely powerless and just let himself go towards the inevitable. His arousal pressed to her belly and the heat spreading from it was driving him crazy. He pulled her even closer and she sighed resting her head on his chest, her hands grabbing his shirt. He moved his fingers on her lower back, so slowly and gently he felt her stir in his embrace. They danced in perfect sync to the song as if their bodies had always belonged together. He desperately wanted to kiss her however he would never do it in public. As the music came to an end he dug his coal black eyes into her amazingly blue ones. "Temperance I..." he swallowed hard unable to finish his sentence.

"Seeley ... I... have never... I can't even explain what."

"Do you... want … me?" he whispered.

"Yes" she vowed. He held her close and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

He opened the door of his car to let her in then sat next to her, at the driver's seat. And when he looked at her what she saw in his eyes was something no book nor lesson could ever teach. It was desire, passion, longing. It was a fire that was going to burn her alive and she was irresistibly attracted to him. Leaning forward he pulled her to his lips and opened his mouth to hers. She matched his urge and parted her lips to meet his tongue in a frenzy of touching, tasting and exploring. She felt the fire melting her womb as waves of pleasure made her come apart in his arms.

He was struck dumb. _She couldn't possibly …? not with a single kiss...?_

Never ever had he experienced that with a woman and his heart swelled in his chest.

"Oh that was... unexpected" she confessed quickly recovering from her climax. "I'm sorry."

He cupped her cheeks and gently kissed her "Never say you're sorry for _that_ Temperance. You have no idea how beautiful you are even then."

He drove to his place and thanked God he had just moved into his own small but comfortable apartment. No car, motel room or whatever would be right for what was about to come between them.

"May I undress you?" She asked her cheeks turning to a deeper shade of pink. He took her hands and placed them on his shirt helping her to undo the first button. Then he lowered his arms along his sides and watched her in awe as she removed every piece of clothing he wore finally staring at his impressive arousal. A soft moan escaped from her mouth. Of course she had seen pictures of manhood but his was certainly outstanding.

"You look..."

"Don't be afraid Temperance I will never hurt you. Do you trust me?"

"I do."

He undressed her then gently lowered her in the middle of his bed lying next to her.

"We don't have to rush this..."

"Please" she whispered shifting towards him. "I don't want you to stop."

He kissed her lips then her chin and slowly moved to her neck lingering on her collar bone, leaving a trail of fire as he reached her breasts. When his lips touched her nipples she screamed like a wild animal and she found herself begging him to be inside of her, welcoming him. He shifted into her thighs and slowly move into her, watching her every reaction ready to pull out. She kept her eyes wide open all the time.

"Are you ok?" He asked concerned.

"Yes."

"I'm going to move now Temperance. Tell me if I hurt you."

She nodded.

He slowly pulled out a little bit then moved back in, observing her as he did. This time she felt as the fire was burning her from the inside and just couldn't help screaming his name as a more powerful climax hit her. Seeley was astonished by the way her body responded to his and kept moving until she was swept away by another unexpected wave. Her body trembled under his strokes and he was almost scared to see her come undone like this in his arms so he stopped.

"Oh Seeley... I'm so sorry... you didn't... am I being selfish?"

"Oh baby how could you be? Temperance you need to know just how powerful your body is compared to mine."

"But I can still feel you...here... you're powerful too."

"That's because I want you so much. A woman can have multiple orgasms, it's up to her partner to make sure this happens."

"I want you to have your release too... with me."

He kissed her then slid his hands under her hips slightly pulling her up. He resumed his thrusts, still gentle but quicker now sensing he could not resist any longer.

"Temperance I'm... close."

"I'm too... just... one more...please..." she begged clinging desperately to his body.

She felt him stop. "Keep looking at me Temperance."

And as she did he changed the angle of his final thrust making her shutter in his arms before exploding inside of her. He was so overwhelmed he felt his eyes filling with tears. And he knew right away that no other woman would ever make him feel like this.

She was studying him, gently playing with his ribs and muscles as she brushed his chest.

"Your body structure is perfect" then she pulled a little up resting her head on her hand as she explored his lower belly. Your hair is lighter here and softer and...you are... she paused wanting to find the exact words to express her feelings – now... you are … soft and inoffensive... and oh... you come to live so quickly if I touch you... she stated almost worshiping him.

"That's what you do to me" he said smiling.

It's amazing how big you are now...your skin is burning... I should be frightened yet I am not... I feel burning too...

"Come" he said pulling her on top of him. "Make love to me."

And as she did she discovered how powerful her body could really be, completely in charge of every move, of every breathtaking sensation that swept her mind. He moved with her, matching her rhythm till they were once again over the edge together.

"So I guess I will never see you again Temperance." His heart shrunk in his chest as the words left his mouth.

"How can you possibly predict the future?" - it was the only rational thought that crossed her mind - "You never know..."

**A/N: I'll be spending a few days in the Alps, just enjoying the ambiance and relaxing. So, till next week... readers around the world.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Letter N of the Bones half of the alphabet. This is a sequel to Seeley, still kind of AU. Enjoy the reading.**

**A/N: I do not own any of this characters. I'm just having fun writing about them.**

NOWADAYS

"Bren… how are you sweetheart?"

"Tired but … I'll be fine once I get a hot shower and some proper sleep." She said her mind still wondering about the never ending journey back from Nicaragua and she sighed.

"So…" - Angela went on taking a sip at her drink – "any _spicy __details_ about the dig?" her pupils dilating in anticipation. Brennan had always some good stories to tell every time she came back from her trips around the world.

"Not really." Brennan replied bringing the glass to her lips. Then she paused.

That one had turned into the worst dig ever. Not only because of the place where the excavation was located and its incessant rain but most of all because of the hell she had gone through in the last part of her stay. Jean Du Berry was a well-known archeologist from France. She had met him only once before at a conference in Paris and she had thought him to be a typical French male, nice and polite. Not her type though. Her body had showed no particular inclination for his and she was never wrong about her sexual instinct. It was him, however, who had showed a _very __particular_ liking to her and had started to chase her all over the place, doing everything he could to show off and try to impress her. One day she had got so sick of him that she decided to crash his ego by telling him there and then that he was not her cup of tea and never would be. And she had left him in Nicaragua looking like a beaten puppy licking his wounds. That had also meant fleeing the dig two weeks earlier leaving the rest of the expedition very pissed off. To hell with him.

"Bren… honey… over there… there's a… well, _very __hot_ guy who's been looking at us for a while now… I'd say he's on the hunt…"

Brennan didn't flinch lost as she was in her thoughts and still rather mad about the whole Du Berry story.

"Listen sweetie, he seems quite insistent and God, Bren, if you're not interested I'd love to give it a shot… you know what I mean don't you?" she stated a huge smile forming on her face. Damn, she thought, long-term celibacy was exhausting. And she hated the idea of going to bed alone another night and waking up by herself the next day. Not to mention the "do-it-yourself" sort of personal care which was starting to be not so amusing anymore. And now… this very studly looking piece of male was making his move walking towards… them!

"Hi Temperance." he said.

Brennan nearly fell from her stool. She had heard that voice only twice and so many years before… but its sound had never left her mind and in time she had found that of all the voices from her past "this" was the one she cherished the most. So she lifted her head.

" Hi Seeley. " she said her cheeks flushing. They looked at each other for what seemed to be a lifetime. Angela was puzzled: _what __the __hell __was __going __on?_ She definitely felt a vibe, a strong sexual tension surrounding them as they kept their eyes locked careless of everything else.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Brennan asked finally breaking the silence.

He smiled recalling their first encounter. "Because… no matter what I said back then… you are just… stunning." The rather casual dusty clothes she was wearing could not conceal the amazingly attractive woman she had turned into.

"You are too." she said truthfully. The young man she had met fourteen years before had become a gorgeous representative of the human species. And undoubtedly an Alpha male.

_Wow_ – thought Angela – her friend had _forgot_ to tell her about _this_ important piece of her past… those two definitely knew each other and what was more… in a way that sent fireworks cracking all over the Founding Fathers.

"And who do we have here Bren?" asked Angela.

"Ange, this is Seeley Booth."

"Seeley, my best friend Angela Montenegro."

After the introduction Angela thought it was about time for her to leave, sure she wouldn't get more than that from her friend right now. "Listen honey, I'll see you tomorrow at work. Have a nice evening. Seeley it's been a pleasure." He nodded giving her a smile.

"Thanks Angela, see you tomorrow."

They were alone and a little embarrassed.

"Do you like it in D.C.?" she inquired.

"I've just been assigned here. I'm with the F.B.I. and you?"

"I work at the Jeffersonian Institute. I'm an anthropologist."

"So that's you…? the famous Dr. Brennan I was told to look for this morning."

"That is certainly me. Why?"

"A rather complicated case is driving everybody nuts at the Hoover, no flesh, a bunch of old bones. Not much for our M.E."

"They were right then. I could definitely help you with the case. Send everything you have at the Jeffersonian, I have the best team you could dream of."

"Not being modest, are you?"

" Certainly not. I'm in fact a well-known scientist in the field."

He was taken aback but still held her gaze. If she had looked a self-confident and determined teenager now she sure was a real kick-ass, he could see that. One you were not allowed to mess around with. However he couldn't just pretend this was a fortunate twist of fate, that their meeting again was just a coincidence bound to yet another heartbreaking farewell.

He knew that his eyes were giving him away. She was so damn smart he was certainly an open book to her. But as they kept eye contact he could see deep down in hers the old flame still alive, still burning.

Tentatively he reached out and brushed her hand resting on the counter. He let his fingers dance with hers till they finally intertwined of their own volition. And the grip was so strong it almost hurt. He loosened his hold a bit and she complied never letting go of his hand.

"Temperance" he whispered "it was not easy to forget... you. In fact I've never been able to... I simply couldn't... and I know it's crazy because ..." he had to stop, his throat was so dry he could not go on.

" I know, I felt that too... I told myself that feelings are irrational, that it's wrong to let them rule your mind... and ..." - she paused thinking about the lovers who had come after him... some had been so selfish she had to rush to her own satisfaction, others didn't know how to play the strings of her body and if they did they simply were not him and she had to restrain herself from calling out his name when she came. No one else beside him had shown her that gentleness, caring, passion and participation could coexist in one lover. - "… I had to settle for second best, but that was not enough. No one else could ever be... you."

A lump was forming in his throat and he swallowed hard not to cry. Was he really that lucky to be given a second chance? With her? And was she willing to give them another chance after all this time? Was she alone or was she...? Hell he could not even think about that.

He was not going to push this. Not now. She needed time, she needed space, to adjust. And she looked exhausted.

" You should rest Temperance, shall I call a cab?"

" Yes, please." She was so grateful he understood that she wanted to be by herself, tonight.

He opened the door of the cab to let her in. "Sleep tight." was all he said.

She turned around to look at him and the way she raised a hand to wave goodbye meant so much more than he would have hoped for.

Because ... - he said to himself - you cannot predict the future but then... you never know.

**A/N: I will be posting two more stories soon, the mountains have been so inspiring.**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I'm going to develop some of the one shots I wrote for the Alphabet. This is chapter three. Drama and suspense are going to be the main themes for the next few chapters so I'd like to point this out as I don't wish to offend nor to upset anyone. Of course this is _only fiction,_ but if you feel this genre is not your piece of cake, please don't read on. If you don't mind entering this new territory with me enjoy the reading. **

**I hope you like it. Will be posting the 4th chapter soon. Enjoy the reading. Still AU.**

**A/N: I do not own any of these characters.**

**SHATTERED**

Brennan reached out and grabbed her cell phone. Who could possibly wake her up at... damn! Three in the morning. She had gone to bed so late, sleep just refusing to sweep in and take her in its arms.

"Brennan" she groaned dropping her head back on the pillow.

All she got was a long pause. She opened her eyes.

"Hello?" she asked. No answer again.

"This is not funny you know? - she snapped rather annoyed - "Who the hell are you?"

All she got this time was a series of indistinguishable sounds, as if somebody was holding back, trying not to crack up and sob.

"Seeley? Is that you?" She inquired almost scared to even think he was in some kind of trouble. His name had suddenly popped into her mind together with a terrible foreboding feeling.

"Yes..." he sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"Temperance... I..." but he couldn't speak and he started to sob violently.

"Seeley, please. Listen to me." she pleaded in the attempt of making him focus on her voice and pull himself together. "Take a deep breath then let the air out slowly." She paused.

She heard him breathe and sigh. She wasn't pushing him, She gave him all the time he needed.

"I just... can't... not over the phone..." he cried.

"Okay. Where are you? I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'm not in D.C."

"You're not? She said startled "Where are you then?"

"In Quebec."

"What are you doing in Quebec?" she realized how stupid her question was the moment it had left her mouth. He was an FBI agent, for God's sake. He was probably working on a case.

"Temperance... please... I can't explain this on the phone. I need you..." he let out in distress.

"Alright then, tell me exactly where you are. I'll be on the first plane."

She wrote down his address and jumped out of bed. "I'm coming Seeley." she stated moving to her bathroom.

"Thank you Temperance." he said.

While packing her bag she couldn't stop thinking about the strange call she had just had from him. Something was definitely very wrong. That was not the Seeley Booth she recalled nor the man she had met a few days earlier at the Founding Fathers.

What could have gone so bad in such a short period of time? He looked fine, more than that actually, she thought as the cab took her to Dulles Airport in the middle of the night. He was absolutely gorgeous and his more mature body structure combined with a perfect physical shape had brought back memories of how beautiful his body had felt in her arms.

She told herself that would not do. She could not punish herself like that, torture herself with images from a long gone past. She was a scientist now, an extraordinary one. And no feelings could take control over her rational, brilliant mind.

She leaned back on her business seat, put the sleeping mask on her eyes and told herself she'd better get some proper rest or she would be of no use. She closed her eyes and in a few minutes she dozed off.

The airplane was already approaching Montreal when Brennan looked out of the window. Everything was covered with snow. She had traveled all around the world, _that_ was not going to be a problem.

She stopped at the coffee bar of the airport and had breakfast before going to the car rental. Then she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and accessed one of the speed dials.

"Ange? Hi. Yeah, I know. Sorry for waking you up so early. Listen. I won't make it to work today. Actually I'm taking a few days off. I'll talk to you later. Thanks Angela. Bye."

Brennan set the navigator, fastened her seat belt and headed for the highway. It was going to be a long drive, she'd sort everything out, she thought. She would try and rationalize the turmoil she'd been experiencing over the past week. Their paths had crossed and for a mutual understanding had parted after a moment of pure bliss. Both aware that the _one moment _they had been given would always live in them, suspended in time. Driven by the strength of her self-will she had managed to _compartmentalize_ as she used to say, letting her mind rule her heart. And no one, she swore to herself, would ever be allowed to open the door of her heart again. And in fact none of her lovers had ever had.

As she drove through the immaculate Canadian landscape she thought that under different circumstances the beauty of nature would have soothed her. But right now she felt restless, unable to focus on anything but him, her heart pounding wildly in her chest she could feel it in her ears.

_I am driving myself crazy_ – she said to herself – _I need to concentrate on something else_.

She started to recite each of the two hundred and six bones which make up the human body but when she came to the ulnae and the phalanges the image of his strong yet gentle hands caressing her to ecstasy and his arms softly circling her sent a sudden shiver through her spine. She pulled over and broke down, tears flowing helplessly along her cheeks.

Finally liberated from the mounting tension she had accumulated she felt light and ready to drive on, through the fifty more miles that separated them.

It was nearly one o'clock when she knocked on his door.

"Hi Temperance."

They looked at each other stiffening at what they saw. Their eyes red and swollen, dark circles underneath, worry written all over their faces.

"Seeley" she whispered entering his embrace.

The moment he closed his arms around her she felt as flames had enveloped her, the frantic beating of his heart matching hers. Unwilling to let him go she raised her head to look at him with querying eyes.

"What's happened to you?" she asked.

"Oh Temperance…" - he sighed holding her so close he feared to crash her – "I… it's not… me…"

"Tell me please. I have to know." She begged.

"It's… my son... Temperance. He's missing." He said burying his sobs on her shoulder.

And she froze in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4. The story is still very much AU and of course B&B call themselves by their given names. I know I'm entering a new territory here, suffering and suspense being what really challenges me at the moment. And of course, I want to dig a little deeper into B&B's feelings. I hope you'll like it. There's still _more to come... _Thanks for reading.**

**A/N: I do not own any of these characters. **

**PAIN**

Brennan felt the blood turn into ice in her veins and her heart heavy like a stone. Her breath stopped and she was numb in his arms. Booth felt her slip from his embrace and simply released her knowing she needed to get away from him. He had not expected a different reaction from her. He turned around to follow her as she let herself drop on the couch eyes staring at the void. He sank in the armchair facing her.

Brennan tried to recover from the unexpected blow.

_A son. His son_.

But then who was she to judge? - she told herself. - What could possibly be wrong with that? He was married, he had a child. End of the story.

She suddenly felt so sorry for him, seeing him so helpless before her and she had to swallow hard not to break down again. She was strong, had always be strong. And he needed her help. That's why she had come all the way to Quebec. She took a deep breath and looked at him with querying eyes.

"He's been missing for so long... you know... the first hours after an abduction are the most crucial... it's been almost five days now ... I … don't know what to do... and I don't think I'll be able to survive if..." he confessed flopping back.

"Don't do that Seeley. Don't torture yourself." she said her eyes filling.

"He's only three years old ..." he paused his eyes lost in space. "I got a phone call last night... from the police... they've found a body by a lake near Trois Rivières... a small child. They wanted me to go and take a look at the remains but I couldn't do it, not by myself. I just buried my face in the pillow and cried my eyes out... that's when I called you Temperance."

"Where's the body?" she inquired her brain already switching into full function mode.

"At the M.E.'s lab."

"I need to shower and change. Then we'll go together."

"Thank you." - He said truthfully – " Take all the time you need. I'll wait for you downstairs..."

"I won't be long Seeley."

She let the hot water run on the upper part her body to release the tension she had accumulated on her shoulders. She quickly dried herself, put on some clean clothes then took her cell phone out of her purse quickly going through the numbers until she found the one she was looking for.

They drove in silence. The snow covered landscape surrounding them in its hushed atmosphere. She didn't ask for explanations, he wasn't ready to give her any. Not yet. There would be time for that. Both of them were lost in thoughts too personal and too painful to share.

Brennan relived the horror she'd experienced less than a year before in Guatemala. She had been called to identify a whole class who had been burned alive in a village. The little corpses almost glued together in the final attempt to escape one of the most horrible deaths ever. And then she had worked on some mass graves in Rwanda. Layers of bodies dumped casually into enormous holes it had taken her weeks of hard work to sort everything out. And weeks of convincing herself that _that_ was not the worst thing she would ever see in her life. Still... when children were involved even her proverbial ability to compartmentalize weakened. And now the kid she was going to look at could be _his son_. How was she going to cope with that? How was she going to tell him?

Booth kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He had glanced at the navigator only once well aware that as time went on he got nearer to the moment he was terrified to face, hoping to procrastinate the final fit of pain which was going to tear him apart. She was silent next to him. He knew that she was very conscious of the terrible task she was about to accomplish. Neither of them dared to look nor speak to the other. The stillness of silence almost deafening them.

When the road sign announced they were entering Montreal she turned to look at him.

"They're moving the remains to the forensics lab of the Quebec Institute of Anthropology Seeley."

"How do you know?" he inquired.

"Because I asked them to do so."

"You did?" he was puzzled.

"I made a phone call before we left, to my Canadian colleague, Dr. Levallois. We've worked together on several occasions. He's the best forensic anthropologist in Canada. I told him to also make full x-rays of the body so we won't waist too much time once we get there and... – she paused – we might need your blood sample just in case we have to run a DNA test."

Booth stiffened in his driver's seat. She sounded so professional and detached he felt his heart chill. But then he realized that by speaking in her cold, matter-of-fact way she was preserving herself from losing the grip with impartiality. No matter how smart or kick-ass she was about to examine some kid's remains, looking for an answer she must be dead scared to give to him.

"Thank you Temperance. I really appreciate what you're going through to help me."

The answer he got was her best smile.

Brennan and Levallois had been working on the boy' s remains for what seemed like a lifetime to Booth. She had pulled her hair up and the blue lab coat she wore clung perfectly to her body revealing the soft curves of her breasts. Her hands covered in latex gloves moved gently over the body lying on the metal table and he was mesmerized by how comfortable and self assured she was at her job. He couldn't help but think about the striking contrast between the sweet yet naive teenager coming apart in his arms and the full-blossomed woman he was now looking at and his whole being felt driven toward her. His body aching to feel every single inch of her creamy skin again. She talked confidently to her male colleague holding his gaze as they went through every bone below them. From time to time she moved to the light board where the x-rays had been placed and she lingered there. Booth could almost sense her brain process rapidly the data she was getting from the examination.

Her facial expression had not revealed the slightest emotion during the whole procedure . So when he saw her remove her gloves and shake Levallois' hand with a smile he jumped up to walk towards her.

"We have examined these remains quite thoroughly and we have come to the conclusion that this _is_ _not _your son Seeley. This poor boy was at least four years old and his bone structure shows severe malnutrition. And he's been dead for at least ten days by the state of his decomposition."

"Clandestine immigrants?"

"Probably. It's up to the police to find out."

"What happened to him?" he asked terrified to know considering how small the corpse looked on that table.

"He suffered a great deal before dying... we've discovered several fractures, his ribcage has been violently crashed thus causing perforation of both lungs and heavy hemorrhage. Somebody knelt on his chest and finally strangled him."

"Any sign of... sexual assault?" he inquired his voice lowering.

"None. We can confirm what the M.E. wrote on the autopsy report. Still..." - she paused drilling her now darker blue eyes into his – he was so young and unaware of what was coming... he didn't even try to defense himself from the blows..." Her eyes filled and he saw a tear slip down her cheek. He reached out and gently captured it with his fingers. Then he took her hands and brought them to his lips placing a warm, long kiss on her palms.

"I will never be able to pay you back Temperance."

"Don't even think about that Seeley. Now we have to find your son."

"You hungry?" he asked looking at the way she was devouring her Asian tofu salad.

"Very!"

"You are a hell of a woman Temperance Brennan. You know that, don't you?

"Well, I've heard that before actually." she replied smiling.

He looked at her in awe. She was so beautiful, so brilliant and so desirable his whole body shivered.

He loved the way her eyes sparkled when he paid her a compliment the color slightly changing on her cheeks as if she was still the young girl who had changed his life.

"Where's your wife?" she dared to ask.

"Straight to the point eh?" he said holding her gaze. "I... am not married. She never wanted to marry me."

"And you? Did you want to marry her?"

"Yes, I thought I had to... though..." he paused and lowered his eyes. Then looking at her again he added "...I didn't _love_ her."

She didn't have to ask why. She already knew their brief encounter had ruined them forever.

"You? Are you married?"

"No. I've never believed in long lasting commitment. Marriage is an absurd way of binding people for life thus preventing them to experience what nature has provided. And I have no kids. I guess I'm quite satisfied with the life I chose for myself. Freedom has allowed me to travel, study, engage myself in the most amazing activities a human being can ever think of."

"And are you _happy_ Temperance?"

_Was she?_ She asked herself.

"I don't need anything more than I have..." she stated knowing that what really hurt was lying to herself.

There was a long pause then he moved his hand on hers.

"Temperance I..."

"Please Seeley don't. Not now." and she felt her heart shrink.

"I'm sorry." - he apologized - "you're right."

"It's late, we should get some sleep." she suggested.

"Yeah... it's been a hard day for both of us."

They were silent once again as he led her to her room.

"Good night Seeley." she said placing a tender kiss on his cheek. He closed his eyes inhaling her scent.

"Sleep tight Temperance. I'll see you tomorrow."

He went to his room and switched on the TV. He was heading for the bathroom to have a shower when he heard Brennan's name and stopped. Turning around he saw her picture on the screen. They were saying that thanks to her cooperation with Dr. Levallois earlier that morning the police had been able to identify the poor boy, who, just like Brennan had told him, had been missing for ten days. Like the previous two young boys who had been found dead in the area this unlucky victim had been abducted from a crowded playground. The police were now narrowing their researches to the surroundings of Trois Rivières.

He switched off the TV and leaned on the bathroom door. Then he slowly let himself slip on the floor curling up. He felt the warmth of his tears flow down on his cheeks and buried his head between his thighs.

"Oh please God. I beg you... bring him back to me."

Booth woke up to a sunny day after the first decent night's sleep in a week. His mind felt lighter and his body ready to face another painful day looking for his son. He knocked at her door to invite her to have breakfast together before setting off. He got no answer so he knocked again. He tried to reach her on her cell phone but he couldn't get through. So he went to the reception.

"Excuse me - he asked the young woman behind the desk - "I'm looking for Dr. Brennan, has she left any messages for me?"

"She has. She left quite early this morning. She said she was going jogging in the park and would be back in half an hour." the receptionist looked at her watch then back at Booth's worried face.

"But that was two hours ago and I haven't seen her come back. Her key is still here." she said pointing at the wooden board behind her.

"Damn it Temperance!" snapped Booth feeling something was terribly wrong. He ran outside and crossed the street to enter the park. The place was huge how could he possibly find her? Even if she had stuck to the paths it would take him ages to search the whole place. He scanned carefully around himself and on the ground as he walked along the park.

Then he saw it, shining in the morning sun. It was the necklace she wore the day before.

**A/N: so how do you like this new twist? too cruel for Booth? please do not be upset... as I said before, still more to come**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to all the readers for the amazing response to this story. As I said before t****his story is still AU. And still very much into drama and suspense. If you're curious to find out what the characters are going through you're welcome to read on. If you think this is just too hard to bear feel free to leave. This is fiction, we do get worse things on the TV show. I apologize if I hurt somebody's feelings by writing this but as a writer, I'm curious to deal with more themes. Even terrible yet challenging ones. Thanks for understanding. **

**A/N.: I do not own any of these characters.**

**ALONE**

Booth went down on his knees and grabbed the oval pendant of the necklace. His head almost touching the ground he felt a sharp pain in his chest as if someone had just ripped his heart in two.

He could not breath and he gasped for air realizing he was going to pass out. He dragged himself up and collapsed on the nearest bench. He was on the brink of the abyss and now the abyss was looking back at him. Unable to form a coherent thought he didn't have the force to move paralyzed as he was with his pain.

He didn't know how long he lay there. He was brought back by the soft touch of snow flakes covering his face. He pulled himself together and took his cell phone out of his pocket to call the police.

Brennan felt dizzy and tried to move her hand to the right side of her neck but she couldn't. Her wrists were tied together behind her back with a rope. Recovering from unconsciousness she checked mentally every single part of her body to make sure none of her bones were broken. The only pain she sensed came from the left wrist and she remembered reaching out to cushion her fall to the ground. And then there was the burning sensation on her neck. Somebody had used a Taser to knock her out? She couldn't tell.

Her eyes were starting to adjust to the dim light of the place and she quickly scanned the room. It looked like a basement and there was only a small window near the ceiling. Its panes had been shielded for a reason thought Brennan. She concentrated on sounds and noises coming from the outside. She couldn't hear any and that meant only one thing: the place was secluded and that was definitely not good. That's why she hadn't been gagged she said to herself.

She was lying on a mattress right in the middle of the room. Suddenly she heard a low moan behind her and she turned. Her breath was caught in her lungs. It was a boy. And a very small one. He was gagged, arms pinned to his stomach, ankles taped together. He was facing the wall on the other side of the room and Brennan decided not to speak for fear she might scare him. Feeling more lucid she slowly pulled herself up and walked to face the boy. He was so small. He kept his eyes wild with terror fixed on the wall and didn't seem to see her. His whole body was shaking and by the state of his pants and the smell of urine that lingered all around he hadn't been changed for quite a while. Brennan knelt in front of him to capture his attention and the boy looked at her. She smiled and kept quiet giving him enough time to adjust to her. She smiled again. Then lowered her face and gently kissed him on the cheek.

How was she going to speak to him? She had never dealt with children, least of all this small.

A low soft tone, would do. She thought. She could do that.

"My name is Temperance. Don't be afraid..." – she began keeping eye contact - "I'm going to remove the tape from your mouth, okay?" the boy nodded.

"Keep still and I won't hurt you. I'm going to use my lips to peel it away."

She reckoned that to be the best way as she wanted to see what she was doing and keeping eye contact seemed fundamental. She kissed him on the forehead and on both eyes then she moved her lips to the right side of his mouth to work on the edge of the tape, scraping it with her teeth. She pulled an inch then stopped.

"Does it hurt?" she inquired concerned.

The boy shook his head and she went on, careful not to pull too quickly on such delicate skin. When she finally peeled away the last bit she placed a gentle kiss on his sore lips.

"You have been very brave. What's your name?"

"Parker." he replied still shivering.

"Do you know your surname Parker?"

"Booth. Where's my mummy? I want my mummy." he cried.

"Ssh. It's going to be okay Parker. And I'm going to bring you back to your mum and dad."

She was so happy he was still alive she felt her heart swell. However she had little to rejoice at. Whoever had kidnapped them would be back soon and she knew she had to come out with her best plan to free both of them unharmed.

But how was she going to do that with a three-year-old scared to death boy? She quickly dismissed her question and looked at the boy again.

"Listen Parker, who brought you here? A man or a woman?"

"A big man, like daddy." he answered.

Damn it she thought that was not going to help her knowing the kidnapper was big yet she felt mentally prepared to put up a hell of a fight.

"Ok, big bad guy. Now Parker, listen carefully to what I'm going to say because you need to be really brave this time, alright?"

"Mm... And after, mummy?" he sobbed.

"I promise. Don't cry Parker." she kissed him again then started to speak hoping the boy would do exactly as she planned.

**B&B**

"What do you mean it's too early?" shouted Booth at the police officer behind the desk.

"I mean that we don't even know whether she's been abducted yet."

"You're not being serious, are you?" snapped Booth. He was certainly starting to feel rather pissed off. "How about the necklace I found? It's obviously being snatched:"

"As far as we know she may have lost it while running, only one set of fingerprints have been found on it."

"So how long are you going to wait before you start investigating?"

"You're making fun of me _Agent _Booth? I'm sure you can ask better than that! Listen... I do understand what you're going through and I'm sorry about your son..."

"You do what? Yelled Booth feeling he was going to explode. "You have no idea what kind of hell is going through my head. My son's been missing for six days and now the _only_ woman I've ever loved is missing too! How about that?" Booth stopped and held his breath. Had he really said that out loud? That she was the _only_ woman he had ever loved? Because that was the truth. No matter how hard he had tried to get over her his heart had simply refused to let her go.

"Listen Agent Booth we've been dealing with your son's disappearance quite carefully from the start. No kidding about that. So far there have been no requests for a ransom, no calls, no witnesses. Of course the investigation has been extended to a national scale. But... do you know how many children disappear every year in this country? Do you even figure out how _large _this country is? We've alerted the neighboring districts, our best experts are working on this case. As for Dr. Brennan... - he paused - we have no clue, it's too early and we don't even know if she's been abducted by the same person. You understand that. Don't you?"

Booth nodded.

"I should have never let her go alone. But how could I know...?"

"You can't blame yourself for what's happened to her."

"Really? Do you know who called her to get here in the first place?"

The detective shook his head.

"_Me_! It was me 'cos I was bloody freaking out about the body you found the other day. And she's the best in the field... so I asked her to come..."

"She came because she wanted to, Booth. She wanted to help you, right? From what I've heard about her _your_ Dr. Brennan is quite a smart woman, isn't she?"

"She is." he confirmed.

"So Booth, how about you give her some credit? If the same nut is holding both of them don't you think she'd try all she can to break free?"

Booth knew she would. "Look, I'm sorry I got a bit carried away but … they're really _all_ I've got..." - Booth admitted tears filling his eyes - "I don't know what to do. I feel so useless. Please let me help you with the investigation or I'll go crazy."

"I'll see what I can do about that Booth. Come on, let's have a cup of coffee. Guess we both need some caffeine right now."

As he followed the policeman to the coffee machine Booth couldn't believe he had just said _that._ But then he realized that his words were true. Parker and Temperance were _all _he got. And life without them was not even an option.

**A/N.: There's more to come, I hope to be able to post the next chapter by the end of the week. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is going to be harsh. I do not intend to upset anyone. I'm just trying to enter a new territory, discover a new way of writing. drama and suspense can be really challenging. so if you think this is definitely not your genre feel free to leave. if like me you're just too curious and want to find out about Brennan and Parker you're welcome to read on. **

**I'd like to thank once again all the readers for the incredible response to this story. you keep me going.**

**A/N.: I do not own any of these characters.  
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**THE ROAD TO FREEDOM**

Brennan heard the basement door open and stiffened holding her breath. She ran her hand on Parker's soft curls and stared at the steps. The warm afternoon sunlight filtered through the opening and Brennan's mood lightened at the idea that if they really managed to escape she would be able to orient herself in broad daylight. Then she saw a pair of heavy boots stepping down the stairs and what seemed to be a very big guy coming towards them. As he got nearer she realized him to be even bigger than Booth and a shiver ran through her spine together what a few drops of cold sweat. She breathed slowly through her nose trying to keep herself under control. Their lives depended on how rational and cold-blooded she was going to be.

The man stopped before them and his gaze told her how upset he already was.

"I see you've removed his gag."

"Of course I did. He couldn't breathe properly."

"How generous of you Dr. Brennan!" he mocked giving her a contemptuous look.

"Why did you gag him in the first place? This house seems quite isolated."

"So it seems smart ass. I couldn't bear him crying and calling his mummy all the time." he snapped.

"What is a three-year-old boy supposed to do under the circumstances?"

"I tried to make him keep quiet. Nothing seemed to work."

"Now who's the smart ass?" she teased. Was she pushing it too far? She thought sensing the man shift his weight from one foot to the other. The boy stood motionless by her side, his head resting on her lap.

"Don't you dare play genius with me doc!" he shouted.

"In fact I am a genius. While you seem not..." she paused waiting for his reaction to her obvious insult. She saw him clench his fists and she waited for the first blow. Nothing came though. He just looked at her with eyes like fire. So she went on more determined now.

"Did you really think that this was going to be a piece of cake? Kidnapping a child? And not _any_ child. His father is an FBI agent. And a tough one. You were going to do what? Hide him for a couple of months? A year, maybe? Give him time to get used to you? Forget all about his previous life?"

"Shut up! You don't know anything about my bloody life!"

"Care to tell me? We seem to have plenty of time in here."

He looked at her for a long time. Brennan felt his eyes lingering on her body and for a moment she feared the worst. He wasn't going to rape her there and then? Not right in front of the kid? As she processed her thoughts she studied him carefully, looking for hidden weapons but she couldn't see any, not the way he was standing before her. She had to get up but that was not the right moment, not yet at least.

"We were happy you know... I had a perfect family. A beautiful woman I was madly in love with... a wonderful kid. Blonde curly hair, just like him. About his age..."

At the man's description Parker shifted in her lap daring to look up at her.

"It's okay Parker." she whispered gently leaning down.

"What happened to them? How did they die?" she inquired.

"A Sunday morning... like many others... a sunny day in fact... my wife had just told me I was going to be a father again... I thought life couldn't be any better... and then... I turned round... if I close my eyes I still see them... they didn't look real, flying like that then hitting the ground. The bastard didn't even stop and left me screaming my guts out. What the hell was I supposed to do without them?" He stopped. His eyes fixing the void.

Brennan felt sorry for the man but was determined to carry out her plan. There was no time for compassion she said to herself.

"And that's why you decided to get yourself another son? To fill your loss? Do you really believe he would forget all about his past? His parents?"

"He's so small he's not gonna remember a damn thing!"

"That's what you think. He'll grow up alright. And then suddenly images from his past will start to pop out, torment him. He'll start asking you questions about these faces he's obsessed with... and what will you say then, ah? Will you gag him again to prevent him from asking questions?"

"Shut your bloody mouth up woman!"

"What if I don't? Do you think I'm scared of you? Oh sure you think you're a big smart one... do you know who I am? I have been through hell, a lot! And they're going to look for me, you know? They're not going to give up that easily."

"That's why I'm going to get rid of you! You're way too dangerous Doc." he stated recovering from his distress. He looked at her with determination and Brennan thought she had to be quick this time.

"You should have stayed where you belong Doctor Brennan. Interfering with other people's business was _not _ a good idea. Now they think I'm the one who killed those children but I didn't. I did not!"

"And how are you going to kill me? Keep me nicely tied up so you can stab me? Shoot me? Or you'd rather strangle me? What's your style? I bet you don't have the balls to look at me in the eyes when you do _that_? You bastard!"

"Fucking bitch!" he spat.

Brennan didn't see that coming and he hit her fiercely on the mouth. She screamed as she tasted her warm blood in her cut lip. Parker started to cry and his whole body was shaken by uncontrollable shudder. Mouth wide open gasping for air.

"Shit!" she yelled "He's having a seizure."

The man looked at her in bewilderment.

"What?" he gasped.

"Epilepsy. Don't you know what that is?"

He nodded while the child contorted himself next to Brennan.

"Now, are you going to stare at him while he dies? Come on let me take care of him for God's sake, I'm a doctor, I can save him.

"No way."

"You cannot be serious! You want to kill your own son?" she shouted.

The man paused. The sight of the agonizing kid was just too much to bear. Images of his dying son passed rapidly before his eyes.

"No!" he said. Kneeling behind Brennan he grabbed a military knife from the side of his right ankle and quickly cut the knots around her wrists.

Feeling the rope loosen Brennan clenched her fist and tried to hit him on the stomach with her right elbow. He was quick though, sensing she was going to do that he shifted and stabbed her on the forearm.

"Damn!" Brennan screamed and looked at her arm. For a moment she was able to see the white of her radius before blood started to flow out of the deep cut. The man threw himself at her trying to slash her again on the thigh. She jumped backward and the blade scratched her pants. She felt a quick itch and realized he had cut her again. The wound was superficial though, luckily for her he had missed the femoral artery he was aiming at. She pulled herself together and moving fast enough she left her right foot and hit him once on the chest. He lost his balance and turned round. Before he realized what was coming Brennan jumped and gave him a second kick on the back of his head knocking him out. He fell with a strong thud to the floor before her. Brennan looked at the stream of blood she had left on the floor. She knelt and picked up the knife then cut two stripes of cloth from the man's shirt. She wrapped one around her forearm and made a tight knot just above the deep cut. The flow weakened. She pulled together the edges of the wound biting her lower lip at the sudden pain then blocked the wound with the second strip and she tied up again.

She turned to Parker. The child was looking at her with terrified eyes but when she smiled at him his lips slightly turned upwards. She knelt beside him.

"It's over Parker. You have been absolutely awesome. Your dad is going to be so proud of you. I am so proud of you." She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead then cut the ropes still holding him tight and helped him stand up. She dug her hands into the man's pockets and grabbed his keys. Before leaving she tied him up with the remaining of the rope.

She took the parka hung by the entrance and checked for the man's wallet. She covered the child and left the house heading for the car.

"We're going to be fine Parker."

"Now, mummy?" Parker asked her concerned.

"Yes, mummy and daddy. Let's go."

The car didn't have a navigator so she followed the route hoping it would take her to the main road. It had snowed in the morning and Brennan drove carefully to keep the car steady on the track. This country road had to lead somewhere thought Brennan, feeling weaker and weaker. She had to be strong, for the child. She couldn't let herself go, not now, not yet. She bit her lip which still tasted her blood and kept focused on driving. The boy was quiet beside her. Still very much in shock he didn't say a word and kept his small hands clenched together on his lap eyes fixed on his shoes.

Brennan saw the main road and let out a deep breath in relief. She wasn't able to go any further. She felt cold and about to faint. She pulled over and turned the engine off.

"We have to get out." – she told him undoing his safety belt. - "Will you be brave one more time Parker?"

He nodded without hesitation.

"Good." She added. "No matter what Parker you stay right beside me until someone comes to rescue us, ok?"

The boy looked at her with startled eyes "You going?"

"No, Parker. I am not going to leave you. I…" - she paused looking for the easiest way to make him understand – "… I'm going to sleep… for a while."

She pulled the child in her arms and walked in the soft snow till she reached the main road. She didn't believe in God. Praying would be useless to her. But she believed in good people, in spite of all the wrongs she had seen around the world. There still had to be someone good for her and for this child in such a trying time. She felt her legs shaking and her vision starting to blur. She put Parker down and knelt beside him.

"Don't let go of my hand Parker."

"You sleep now?"

"Yes."

She thought she heard the noise of a truck in the distance and turned to look at the road again. She felt dizzy and so cold, she wanted to lie down and close her eyes. Get some rest. Her body temperature was decreasing rapidly and she was about to pass out any moment now.

Suddenly she heard it clearly. The truck. She raised her left hand to wave their position. Then she lowered herself on the soft layer of snow underneath her and the last thing she saw was the immaculate white turning into red.

**A/N.: so what do you think? I really wouldn't mind getting your impressions on this one. thanks for reviewing. the next chapter will be posted during the weekend.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Still AU. The title says it all. No more drama. Enjoy the reading. **

**Will be posting the last chapter soon.**

**A/N: I do not own any of these characters**

**SAFE**

"Are you okay Agent Booth?" asked the nurse as she checked once more Brennan's vitals.

"I'm fine. Actually... more than fine now. Thanks." he replied giving her a smile.

The woman smiled back and told herself that under different circumstances she wouldn't have had second thoughts about flirting with this amazingly looking man. His well defined biceps showing from his rolled up sleeve were certainly more than an appeal to her but the way he kept his gaze fixed on the woman lying next to him meant that he only had eyes for her.

"And how's your son?" She inquired concerned.

"Oh... he's going to be fine. The psychologist is positive he'll get over this mess alright." as he said so he gently caressed the child's head resting on his chest and tears started to fill his eyes.

"Well, everything seems under control here. Now Agent Booth I'll leave you all some time to rest. Guess you deserve that. Make sure to keep Dr. Brennan's arm still and you keep still too, OK?"

"Roger that."

"You making fun of me young man?" teased the nurse.

"Never in the world." he said trying to suppress a giggle.

"That would _not_ do you know?" - She went on enjoying the game - "after what we've done against _all_ our hospital regulations to keep the three of you together."

"You're an angel Mrs. Stevens. If I wasn't stuck in here I'd certainly give you a huge kiss."

She blushed. "Guess you would... now keep quiet and get some rest. I'll be back soon to make sure you've been a good boy."

Before she left the room the nurse glanced at the trio and smiled. Nobody had had the courage to say no to this man's demands. He simply would not leave them alone, not after what they had been through. And sincerely, she said to herself closing the door, she totally agreed with him.

Booth kept his eyes fixed on Brennan. She looked so pale. His heart ached to see her like that, still unconscious from the medical treatment she'd been given. But she was tough, she had just proved that and she would recover soon. The wound dressing on her forearm was impressive and he dreaded to think about the long scar that would be a constant reminder of her kidnapping.

He felt her move her hand and tightened the grip on their intertwined fingers. She moaned and tried to pull her hand away.

"Easy there Temperance." he softly told her to make her turn to him.

She recognized him and smiled.

"Welcome back."

"Seeley... what...?"

"Don't move... see? We're joined..." he stated pointing at the tubing of the transfusion.

"Oh... you..."

"Yes, Temperance. You lost quite a lot of blood and... - he continued - your blood group is the rarest there is. You are special in that too."

"Yes, I'm AB-"

"When I got here they said they didn't have enough of that so I said they could give you mine. I'm a universal donor. They found my RH to be compatible with yours plus I'm clean. They test us regularly."

"How can I thank you?" she whispered tears starting to fall silently on her cheek.

"Oh Temperance... what?... How am _**I **_ever going to thank you for what you've done for me, for us."

"How's he?" she asked looking at the child sleeping peacefully by his father.

"He seems okay. He said you were playing a game..."

"He's amazing you know? I never thought such a small kid could be that smart."

"Do you feel like telling me about that Temperance?"

"Yes."

"Before you start... how are you feeling? The nurse will kill me if anything goes wrong with this."

"I'm fine, I think my body is adjusting to your blood quite well."

He felt his heart swell in his chest. He wanted to kiss her, hold her tight, keep her forever in his arms. But all he could do was reach out with his left hand and softly caress her cheek. They stared at each other in awe for a long moment.

She sighed. "I wasn't sure about what to do you know?" she started.

He nodded.

"Would he understand? Could he be smart enough to help me through that? I had to take the risk and trust him. So I told him we would be playing a game, a tough one. The prize would be going back home to his mum and dad. We had to make the bad guy turn really bad. Make him so mad he'd hit me in the face. Then he would fake a seizure... I swear I thought he was having that for real. So I had the bastard cut the ropes and we started to fight. He was quick though... I misjudged him... and..." she looked at her forearm. She turned her head and saw he was crying.

"Temperance I'm so sorry... will you ever forgive me?"

"For what? I have nothing to forgive you Seeley. Did they get him? I tried to tied him up as best as I could considering the state of my injury."

"They did. You did great. He was still tied up in the basement. Temperance Brennan you are something!" He kissed his fingers and gently placed them on her lips lingering there. She reached out putting her hand on his. They didn't need to say more.

* * *

><p>"Well Dr. Brennan I see you're back with us. How are you?" said Mrs. Stevens approaching the patient monitor next to Brennan's bed.<p>

"Fine, thanks. A bit dizzy but fine really."

"You're quite a strong girl, Doctor. And I real Lara Croft from what I heard."

"I don't know who that is." she replied puzzled.

Booth chuckled amused. "She sure is!"

"How about you Agent Booth?"

"I'm good. Thank you."

"I see you have followed thoroughly my _prescription _Agent Booth. Might get you some ice-cream tonight."

"Apple pie instead? Ice-cream for Parker."

"Ok then, apple pie it is. You Dr Brennan?"

"I don't like apple pie. A fruit salad?"

"Fine. There's still another thirty minutes to go. You two can manage to lay still a little longer?"

They nodded in unison.

**B&B**

"Dr. Brennan" - said the nurse entering the room - "there's someone who's been waiting outside for quite a while now. Shall I let her in? If you feel like it, of course."

"Who is it?" she asked

"Parker's mother." said the nurse.

Booth got up and opened the door to let her in.

"Hi Rebecca. How's Parker?"

"He's in the playroom with Agent Foster. And some other kids. He's fine, I'm taking him to the psychologist later on. Do you mind if I talk to her alone Seeley?"

"Of course not. I'll leave you then. He walked to the bed and gently placed a kiss on Brennan's forehead. - "I'll be right there."

She smiled at him.

"So Dr. Brennan I..."

"Please call me Temperance. There's really no need for formality."

"Okay Temperance. Can I sit here?" She asked pointing ay the chair next to her bed.

"Sure."

"I wanted to thank you for what you've done for Parker... for me... I don't know if I could have survived if... - she started sobbing and Brennan quickly took her hand. "He's all I have... of him... and though I never wanted to marry him I can't deny he's the best father I could have wished for my son."

"Why didn't you want to marry him?" she had to ask _her _though she already knew.

"I knew it wouldn't have worked, I couldn't force him, even if he wanted to. There has always been someone else in his heart, you know?" she said holding her gaze.

Brennan lowered her eyes, color rising slightly in her cheeks.

"I know you've been together, Temperance. And I can see you still love him too."

Brennan looked at her bewildered.

"I'm a woman, it shows, believe me. Don't miss your chance Temperance. The chance to feel complete. You both deserve that."

The two women stared at each other overcome by emotion.

Rebecca leaned down and embraced Brennan.

"Thanks to you... my life is still complete." said Rebecca before leaving the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**So, this is the last chapter of this story. Back to romance. I'd like to thank all the readers who have followed me along this journey through romance and drama. It's been a real challenge and I'm amazed at the fav/alerts I got. Enjoy the reading and don't be shy to let me know what you think about this whole thing. Of course writing is for the pleasure of the reader still it is a hard process and a nice word from you (criticism should always be contructive) is the best reward we can get. Thanks once again.**

**A/N.: I do not own any of these characters.**

**TOGETHER AGAIN**

"Close your eyes Temperance." he whispered stepping behind her.

She did and shivered in anticipation.

He brushed his fingers on her shoulders lowering the silken straps of her nightgown along her arms. The touch of the smooth fabric sliding down her body made her itch with desire and a low moan escaped her lips. He smiled and took in the beautiful sight of her naked back. How can the body of a woman be so perfect? – he thought – her skin was the color of ivory and in the soft light of the lamp on her night stand it shone like gold.

She waited for what seemed an impossible length of time for him to resume his touching her and kept still longing to feel his strong gentle hands. He played with the smooth curves of her shoulder blades and ran his fingers downward where her back turned into a deeper valley and he paused there making her feel the warmth of his skin. She stiffened ablazed. He removed his burning hands and she suddenly felt the void.

"Please Seeley..." she heard herself beg. She had never done that with her previous lovers. Confident she could get any release she needed without having to ask. She simply took.

_But this was not any previous lover. _He was the one who held the key to her heart and she felt that key turn once again after a long time.

She sensed his warm breath on her face now and wanted desperately to open her eyes and look at him certain she'd find him just inches from her. And she would reach out and melt in his flames. Yet she kept her hands along her hips, quivering like a leaf in the summer breeze.

He touched her shoulders and went down along her arms stopping where the dressing covered her recent wound. He softly brushed its upper side lingering on every inch of the long cut he knew would mark forever her immaculate skin. He stopped. And she felt the warmth of a tear drop on her arm.

"Seeley, please... I want to look at you..."

He sighed. She opened her eyes and what she saw didn't seem real because his face was transfigured and it was as he was adoring her. Eyes fixed on her face shining with his tears. She reached out and wiped the salted streams off his cheeks.

"Don't... don't feel sorry for this... - she said nodding at her forearm - "I'm so happy we are here... again... I don't think it's even rational what I'm feeling right now. It is as if my heart is doubling its size in my chest and still I feel no pain. This is just impossible for me to understand..."

"Oh Temperance..." he said taking her hand and placing it on his heart. Its beat was wild, how could that be? How could he bare that? And then she placed his hand on her heart and he felt the same wild beat too. He knelt and kissed her on the exact spot his hand was resting before, feeling the acceleration of her heart beat reach an impossible peak. Then he gently grazed her nipples making her back arch with pleasure. She grabbed his head and pulled him to her lips. The moment their naked bodies touched she felt as if hers was disappearing to enter a new dimension. Her head was light, her senses flying high, the room spinning around them. The heat of his desire and the frantic battle of their tongues had the same unexpected effect she had experienced fourteen years before and she came apart in his arms. He held her close softly brushing her womb with his manhood to make the moment of pure bliss last as long as he could.

He took in her moans of pleasure and was drunk with happiness and desire of her. When he felt her relax in his embrace he pulled her in his arms and lowered her on the bed worshiping her whole being.

She invited him in her circle and as he softly moved into her she felt a new life surging in. Her forlorn half had found its long lost part and together they were flying high to a height she had never reached, enveloped by the purest light she had ever seen...

**B&B**

"Please... do not... stop... I... oh God... I've... never... seen..."

"**Bones? **What the...?" wondered Booth looking at her partner moan and wriggle while asleep. She had never ever done that before. In fact he was convinced that after all the smoking sex and making love of the past few weeks she didn't need any supplementary dreaming about _intercourse_. And didn't he hate that word! He confessed.

Now, what was he supposed to do? Let her have her supplementary dose of fun? Or simply wake her up? And who the hell was she having sex with? Him, of course, he said to himself a fit of jealousy squeezing his heart.

But then seeing her coming apart like that, completed carried away by the waves of her pleasure, her hands reaching out for his body, was something he could never get tired of and he let her come down, slowly, from whatever heights she was.

"Bones? Are you okay?" he finally whispered sensing she was more relaxed now, her fingers softly running on his belly, her chest calm, breathing normally again.

"Booth...?" - she was puzzled as if she was finding it difficult to come back to reality.

"You have been...?"

"Oh... Booth... I've made the most extraordinary dream of my life..." she admitted truthfully.

"I guess you have... where _we..._? because you just... well, Bones..." he was so embarrassed to ask.

"Yes, I was with you, who else could I be having such an amazing experience with? You're jealous?"

"You know I am."

"Well, don't be. You know I don't believe in God and Heaven and all this spiritual stuff you've tried to convince me of for ages..."

He sighed.

"This time you were taking me to a place I used to think it only belonged to poetry... you know? How can love be so strong as to make you feel your soul is leaving your body? That is so irrational. How can you feel yourself being carried through the purest light you've ever seen? I … cannot explain that, it's impossible."

"Oh Temperance we were in Heaven, together?" And she saw tears filling his eyes.

"Were we?" how could she admit that? But yet, she thought, trying to rationalize what was simply out of her ability to, where on earth could she have been?

"I have to tell you about this incredible dream Booth... we were so young and you were so beautiful... we met at a dance..."

**A/N.: so how did you like the ending? I am not pulling anybody's leg. it's just a way of writing that fascinates me, to be taken aback. it really makes you think about the whole process of writing and creating a story. thanks for reading and reviewing.**


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